Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro officially issued his “strategic guidance” for the U.S. Navy on Oct. 7, which defines China as the number one adversary that it must face, followed by climate change and COVID. In it, Del Toro claims that “the long-term challenge posed by the People’s Republic of China is the most significant for the Department.”
“As our central governing concept, the top priority for the Department of the Navy will be to develop concepts of operations and capabilities that bolster deterrence and expand our warfighting advantages vis-à-vis the People’s Republic of China,” Del Toro says. We will ensure our Fleet and Fleet Marine Forces are organized, trained, equipped, and employed in support of this priority, and that we are able to campaign and win now and in the future. In doing so, we must remain able to deter the full range of threats to our Nation’s security from other authoritarian states and transnational challenges that will continue to threaten our national security and economic interests.” Del Toro doesn’t say what this development will entail but presumably, he wants a much bigger budget that will buy more ships, planes, drones, missiles, artificial intelligence and other capabilities.
